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Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee)
Francisco Scaramanga is the villain in the James Bond film and novel The Man with the Golden Gun. Scaramanga was played by English actor Christopher Lee, who is also Ian Fleming's cousin. Film biography Background Francisco Scaramanga was a British national born in a traveling circus. His father was the ringmaster, a former Cuban national and his mother was a snake charmer. By the age of ten, he was part of the circus as a trick-shot pistol marksman; a skill which he put to use when he shot and killed an abusive animal trainer after the man killed an elephant that had befriended Scaramanga. By fifteen, he was a gunman in Rio de Janeiro. He was recruited there by the KGB and trained in Eastern Europe where for many years he was basically just another overworked and underpaid assassin for the KGB. He quit the KGB in the late 1950s, becoming an independent hitman-for-hire. All of Scaramanga's dealings go through his diminutive accomplice Nick Nack, which allows Scaramanga to remain anonymous. No photographs of him exist, but he has unusual anatomy: a third nipple. As in the novel, it is shown that Scaramanga makes love prior to killing in the belief that it 'improves the eye'. During the events of the film, he is at the very epoch of his career. Consequently, Scaramanga lives very well, drawing from the exorbitant sums of money he charges to carry out his assassinations ("Current price, one million dollars", according to Bond's briefing), and has built his home on his own private island somewhere off the coast of south-eastern China (apparently part of a deal with the Chinese to carry out assassinations in return). Scaramanga lives alone, accompanied only by Nick Nack, Andrea Anders (his kept woman), and a mechanic named Kra who is in charge of maintenance and security. Scaramanga also uses some of his wealth to finance research and development of technologies that rival those developed by MI6's Q Branch. Such technologies include his infamous Golden Gun, a car that transforms into an aircraft and a solar-powered laser cannon. In addition, Scaramanga also has a private junk, which Bond later steals to get off the exploding island. The Solex Agitator In addition to his career as an assassin, Scaramanga is also a junior partner in Hai Fat Enterprises and personal assassin to the company's owner, multimillionaire industrialist Hai Fat. Prior to the film's events, a British scientist named Gibson was employed by Hai Fat to develop a solution to the world's ongoing energy crisis. With the help of Fat's contruction company, a highly efficient solar powerplant is constructed on Scaramanga's island. However, following its completion, Gibson attempts to return to Britain; bargaining for immunity with a critical component of the powerplant: the Solex Agitator unit. Having outlived his usefulness, Francisco is dispatched by Hai Fat to assassinate the scientist and recover the Solex. After meeting with his British contact at a Hong Kong club, Gibson is assassinated and his invention is stolen from the crime scene by Nick Nack. Scaramanga initially returns the device to Fat, but following James Bond's interference, he instead decides to kill his employer and take the Solex, powerplant and company for himself. With Hai Fat's assets in his possession, the assassin plans to sell Gibson's solar technology to the highest bidder - criminal or otherwise. Clash of the Titans Scaramanga also desires to test his skills against the famed James Bond, whom he regards as the only man capable of being his equal. After taking the solex from Scaramanga's safe, Anders attempts to deliver it to Bond. However, Scaramanga discovers the theft and shoots her as she waits for 007 in a kick-boxing arena. He searches her handbag before the spy arrives, but fails to find the device which has fallen under her chair. Meeting Bond face-to-face for the first time, he relates the story of his upbringing, his facination with guns and his love of killing. As the pair talk, Bond notices the Solex and manages to slip it to his colleage Hip, who in turn passes it to fellow agent Mary Goodnight. After excusing himself, Scaramanga leaves empty-handed, only to discover Goodnight (Bond's semi-partner in the film) attempting to place a tracking device on his car. With one fluid movement he shoves her into the boot and slams the door shut. Despite Bond's best attempts to pursue the villain, he manages to evade him by taking to the skies with an aircraft attachment; taking with him Goodnight and the Solex. Picking up Goodnight's tracking device, Bond flies a seaplane into Red Chinese waters, under the Chinese radar, and lands at Scaramanga's island. On arriving, Bond is welcomed by Scaramanga, who shows him the high-tech solar power plant he has taken over. Whilst demonstrating the equipment, Scaramanga uses a powerful solar beam to destroy Bond's plane. Following the tour, Bond dines with Goodnight and Scaramanga. As they eat, the assassin states that despite his 'working for peanuts', Bond and he are very much alike. Bond disagrees and the two have a tense standoff which results in Scaramanga threatening the agent with his golden gun. Death At gunpoint Scaramanga challenges Bond to one final, decisive duel - his golden gun versus 007's Walther PPK, dismissing Bond's superior number of bullets irrelevant due to his superior knowledge of the local environment. Reluctantly, Bond agrees and the pair assemble on the beach after lunch. After the traditional twenty paces, Bond turns and fires, only to find that the assassin has cheated the duel, fled into the fun-house - a labrynthine maze, where Scaramanga and his opponents regularly duel to the death. The two men stalk each-other around the maze, culminating in 007 taking the place of a mannequin replica of himself. Fooled by Bond's ploy, Scaramanga is shot directly through the heart when Bond takes him by surprise. Personality Scaramanga was an eccentric, arrogant, ruthless, ambitious and sadistic sycophant. He had immense self-confidence in his skills as a marksman and was almost dismissive that only James Bond was his singular equal. He showed paranoia when surrounded by characters such as Hai Fat and Andrea Anders. He had a sardonic, sarcastic sense of humour, remarking after killing Hai Fat 'He always did like that mausoleum. Put him in it?' He was an expert marksman with his golden gun and an adept at deep cover. He claims not to be well-versed in science. Judging by the fitness equipment on the island, he is in peak physical condition. Henchmen & Associates Nick_Nack_(Hervé_Villechaize)_-_Profile.jpg|Nick Nack|link=Nick Nack (Hervé Villechaize) Andrea_Anders_(Maud_Adams)_-_Profile.jpg|Andrea Anders|link=Andrea Anders (Maud Adams) Hai_Fat_(Richard_Loo)_-_Profile.jpg|Hai Fat|link=Hai Fat (Richard Loo) Kra_(Sonny_Caldinez)_-_Profile.jpg|Kra|link=Kra (Sonny Caldinez) Behind the scenes Ian Fleming named Francisco Scaramanga after a fellow student at Eton with whom he shared a lasting rivalry. Following several schoolground spats Fleming decided to use the animosity he felt towards George Scaramanga for the influence behind one of his most famous villains. Fleming and Scaramanga were at Eton in the 1930s until the Bond author was expelled. Video-game appearances The character has been featured as a villain in various James Bond video games. Francisco Scaramanga returned for the 2004 game GoldenEye: Rogue Agent once again voiced by Christopher Lee. In the game, he is an ally of Auric Goldfinger. He is the manufacturer of the synthetic eye given to the player (GoldenEye) and makes a virus used against Goldfinger's OMEN device. The game also features a Multiplayer "Funhouse" level, including the traps that caused Bond to lose most of his bullets such as Al Capone and Cowboy mannequins and an image of Scaramanga. In addition, the level includes a Bond mannequin, whose gun the player can take and use. Francisco Scaramanga is a playable character in the multiplayer portions of the 2002 game 007: Nightfire and the 2010 game GoldenEye 007. In [[GoldenEye (video game)|the original GoldenEye game]], it is said in the briefing for the "Egyptian" mission that the Golden Gun was stolen from Scaramanga by Baron Samedi. Images TMWTGG - Scaramanga assembes his Golden Gun.jpg|Scaramanga assembles his Golden Gun. TMWTGG - Bond and Scaramanga meet.jpg|Bond and Scaramanga meet for the first time. TMWTGG - Scaramanga and Nick Nack attempt to escape.jpg|Nick Nack and Scaramanga escape by car. 3EF53D71E2276D2595AA2AB2F5C8CE_h498_w598_m2.jpg Andrea being threatened by Scaramanga.jpg|Scaramanga threatens Andrea Anders GoldenEye-Character-Render_Scaramanga.jpg|Scaramanga as he appears in the 2010 version of the GoldenEye videogame img_42.jpg|Scaramanga versus Bond bondfashion-5.jpg|Scaramanga in his Fun House. Scaramanga 3rd Nipple.jpg|Scaramanga's 3rd nipple. References Category:Film characters Category:The Man With The Golden Gun characters Category:Deceased characters Category:Characters killed by James Bond Francisco Scaramanga Category:Main villains Category:Assassins Category:Titular characters